A Chittenden County state senator was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol after Williston police say they found her vehicle off the road.

Debbie Ingram, 55, who is serving her first term as a Democratic state senator representing Chittenden County, said in a statement that she accepts responsibility for the consequences of her "irresponsible behavior."

Williston Police Officer Eric Shepard wrote in a news release that officers found Ingram's vehicle off South Road in Williston at about 8:09 p.m. Thursday.

"A subsequent investigation showed the operator of the vehicle, Deborah Ingram, had previously gone off the roadway and struck a fixed object before going off the roadway again a short distance later," Shepard wrote in the news release.

Ingram lives on South Road. She is an ordained minister and serves as executive director of Vermont Interfaith Action.

Police cited Ingram to appear in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington on Nov. 2 to answer the charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

"I am grateful that no one was injured as a result of my irresponsible behavior," Ingram said in a statement provided by her attorney, Ted Kenney. "I suffer from a disease for which I have been getting treatment through a 12-Step program.

"I had a temporary setback last night and will continue to seek treatment to ensure that something like this never happens again," Ingram continued. "I accept full responsibility for the consequences of my actions."

Contact April McCullum at 802-660-1863 or amccullum@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @April_McCullum.
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